1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a position indicator for assisting a motorist with properly positioning a vehicle upon pulling into a parking structure such as a household garage. The automobile entry detector for a garage has particular utility in connection with electric garage door openers, utilizing the existing electronic equipment of the opener and signaling the driver when the entire length of the car has passed into the interior of the garage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Since the invention of the automobile, properly positioning the vehicle in a parking structure has been a consideration. Since garages are often used for storage as well as parking, various items typically surround the parking area and could be damaged by the vehicle if it is not positioned correctly. In addition, many garages house two or more vehicles, requiring the motorist to adeptly maneuver and position the vehicle to avoid the side walls of the structure, stored items, and the second vehicle. When multiple vehicles are parked near each other in a garage, the vehicles must be positioned such that the doors of each vehicle will not strike and dent the other vehicles when opened. Many drivers also have difficulty determining how far to pull into a parking structure. Oftentimes this requires exiting the car to determine if the vehicle is sufficiently within the interior of the parking structure to successfully close the door without contacting the vehicle. In the case of automatic garage doors, significant damage could be done to a vehicle if it is not pulled far enough into the parking structure before the door is closed. Therefore, a device which could signal the driver when the vehicle was sufficiently pulled into a parking structure so the door could be closed behind the vehicle would be highly desirable, eliminating the hassle and frustration of walking around the vehicle to check for clearance before properly positioning the vehicle. In addition, if this device could be implemented using the existing garage door opener circuitry, it would reduce cost and effort of installation, as well as centralizing the control functions in one area.
The use of garage parking position indicators is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,479 to John B. Cotton discloses a garage parking position indicator that utilizes a pair of sensors that transmit a signal which cross-intercepts the leading edge of a vehicle as it enters the garage and alerts the driver when the trailing edge has passed the sensors. However, the Cotton '479 patent makes no indication that existing garage door opener circuitry can be utilized, rendering it more expensive for the consumer. Additionally, since the existing garage door circuitry is not employed by the Cotton '479 device, the consumer must make multiple installations of circuitry in the parking structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,997 to George J. Barkley and Roberta Barkley discloses a photoelectric vehicle position indicating device for use in parking and otherwise positioning vehicles. The positioning device includes a photoelectric control unit mounted on an overhead structure and directing a downward beam that is intercepted by the vehicle in question, energizing an alarm signal for a predetermined amount of time. However, the Blakely, et al. '997 device would not be suitable for use in multicar garages since it would only monitor a single position in the garage. Neither is the Blakely, et al. '997 device able to be implemented with existing garage door openers. Furthermore, the audible alarm of the Blakely, et al. '997 device would be disturbing to pets, babies, or any passengers who might have fallen asleep in the vehicle. Lastly, the Blakely, et al. '997 device fails to indicate if the rear of the car is within the interior of the parking structure, instead alerting the user only when the front of a vehicle is in a desired location. For vehicles of varying lengths, this could lead to substantial damage if the garage door were accidentally shut on the rear end of the vehicle.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,493,925 to Louis Brancale discloses the use of a magnetic proximity switch mounted to the front wall of the garage to light a signal lamp as the vehicle approaches closely to such front wall or to a pylon upon which the magnetic proximity detector is mounted. However, since close proximity is required by the Brancale '925 device, either the front wall or such pylon would be an obstruction to walking or working in the front of the vehicle. Furthermore, the close proximity requirement of the Brancale '925 device would preclude the placement of work benches or shelves along the front wall of the garage. Finally, the Brancale '925 device makes no provision for implementation with existing garage door opener circuitry.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,378 to John E. Heckethorn discloses a motor vehicle garaging safety method and apparatus wherein a signal light is projected downward when a garage door is fully opened to provide a light spot on the dashboard of a vehicle when it is parked in the proper position within a garage. However, the Heckethorn '378 device would be difficult to use if backing a vehicle into the garage since the light would be present on the rear end or in the back seat of the vehicle. In addition, vehicles of varying lengths would cause the Heckethorn '378 device to transmit the light beam to varying parts of the car to indicate proper positioning. Lastly, since nc indication is given by the Heckethorn '378 device that a vehicle has been pulled forward sufficiently to allow unobstructed door closure, significant amounts of damage could occur if a vehicle longer than that with which the driver is accustomed is positioned incorrectly in the garage.
Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 6,218,962 B1 to Dale E. Fiene discloses a parking guide for automatic garage door openers that consists of an add on feature that directs a beam of light onto the front of the hood of the vehicle as it proceeds into the garage. The motorist pulls forward into the garage until the light coincides with a predetermined reference point on the vehicle. However, the Fiene '962 B1 device would require the modification of the hood of the vehicle with a decal in order for the device to be useful to a driver unaccustomed to driving a particular vehicle. Moreover, the Fiene '962 B1 device would be difficult to use if backing a vehicle into the garage since the light would be present on the rear end or in the back seat of the vehicle. Additionally, the Fiene '962 B1 technology could not easily be used for multiple vehicles unless each was modified with a decal on the hood. Finally, since no indication is given by the Fiene '962 B1 device that a vehicle has been pulled forward sufficiently to allow unobstructed door closure, significant amounts of damage could occur if a vehicle longer than that with which the driver is accustomed is positioned incorrectly in the garage.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,945,907 to Michael Yaron, Bernard Katz, and Karl E. Geisel discloses an apparatus and methods for parking a vehicle using a position detection sensor. A sensing and indicating device is mounted at a fixed location to determine the distance between the sensor and an approaching vehicle. The sensor provides visual and/or audible indication of the distance between the vehicle and the sensor, allowing the vehicle to be positioned within a defined space or envelope. However, the Yaron, et al. '907 patent only alerts the driver as to the placement of one side of the vehicle and would require the motorist to predetermine the location of the rear of the vehicle in relation to the door for each different vehicle driven into the garage. Furthermore, a nonprimary driver of a vehicle would have no indication from the Fiene '962 B1 device of whether the vehicle had been pulled far enough into the garage to allow unobstructed closure of the door. Finally, the Fiene '962 B1 device cannot be incorporated into an existing automatic garage door opener.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe an automobile entry detector for garages that signals the driver when the entire length of the car has passed into interior of the garage and utilizes the existing garage door opener circuitry. None of the aforementioned devices give any indication that the circuitry of an existing garage door opener could be utilized in the invention; therefore, the consumer would need to make a separate installation for the Cotton '479, Blakely, et al. '997, Brancale '925, Heckethorn '378, Fiene '962 B1, and Yaron, et al. '907 devices. In addition, these devices are likely to cost more than a unit that implements the circuitry of an existing garage door opener and would require a separate control center from the garage door opener. The Blakely, et al. '997 and Fiene '962 B1 devices would require multiple installations for use in multicar garages since each device can only monitor a single position in the garage. Furthermore, the audible alarm of the Blakely, et al. '997 device would be disturbing to pets, babies, or any passengers who might have fallen asleep in the vehicle. Additionally, the Blakely, et al. '997, Heckethorn '378, Fiene '962 B1, and Yaron, et al. '907 devices fail to indicate if the rear of the car is within the interior of the parking structure, which could lead to substantial damage if the garage door were accidentally shut on the rear end of the vehicle. Since close proximity is required by the Brancale '925 device, either the front wall or such pylon would be an obstruction to walking or working in the front of the vehicle and would preclude the placement of work benches or shelves along the front wall of the garage. In addition, the Heckethorn '378 and Fiene '962 B1 devices would be difficult to use if backing a vehicle into the garage since the position indicator light would be present on the rear end or in the back seat of the vehicle instead of on the hood or dashboard. Moreover, vehicles of varying lengths would cause the Heckethorn '378 device to transmit the light beam to varying parts of the car to indicate proper positioning, and the Fiene '962 B1 device would require the modification of the hood of the vehicle with a decal.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved automobile entry detector for garages that can be used for signaling the driver when the entire length of a vehicle has passed into the parking structure. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect, the automobile entry detector for garages according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of utilizing the existing garage door opener circuitry to determine when the entire length of a vehicle has passed into the interior of the garage and signaling the driver as to such.